Mr. BIG – Hey Man [Japan Remastered SHM-CD LTD Release +4 bonus] 2009 , MP3+FLAC

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As requested, here’s the Remastered and pressed on SHM-CD Japan reissue of MR. BIG “Hey Man” – including 4 bonus tracks – now out of print. “Hey Man” was Mr. Big’s fourth album, considered by some the ‘black sheep’ in their discography, but it’s a really good record in its own right.

Released in 1996, perhaps the title of one song included here, “Where Do I Fit In?” paint Mr. Big’s place in the US American rock at the moment.
With the grunge dominating the charts, Mr. Big were in a situation to impose their brand of melodic hard rock melodies into an audience flooded with plain, uninspired sad songs.

For “Hey Man”, Mr. Big turned darker, with songs based in rocking chord progressions than their original technical stuff, but still with the melody as center role filled with excellent vocals and lyrics.

There’s more acoustics into the mix, and not exactly in a ballad mode. It’s a more ‘classic rock’ record if you want. Bluesy, rootsy guitars, rockers but also alot of slow tunes.
This benefited Eric Martin vocals presence, which are the star on “Hey Man”.

Songs like the soulful ‘If That’s What It Takes’, the melodic gem ‘Goin’ Where The Wind Blows’ or the atmospheric ‘The Chain’ are mixed with dynamic rockers like ‘Jane Doe’, the almost funky ‘Where Do I Fit In?’, the dark ‘Out Of The Underground’, the classic rocker ‘Mama D.’ and of course, the ultra-catchy ‘Take Cover’.

“Hey Man’ obviously reflects a band in transition, which ended with guitarist Paul Gilbert out, replaced by Richie Kotzen. Still is a great, solid record which brought new listeners to the Mr. Big camp, those eager for more mature, earthy compositions, playing and sound.
This Japanese remaster by Isao Kikuchi seems to have rescued some layers of guitar harmonics, turning the listening experience even more enjoyable, plus 4 bonus tracks (check ‘I Love You Japan’, a must for Paul Gilbert fans).

01 - Trapped In Toyland
02 - Take Cover
03 - Jane Doe
04 - Goin' Where The Wind Blows
05 - The Chain
06 - Where Do I Fit In?
07 - If That's What It Takes
08 - Out Of The Underground
09 - Dancin' Right Into The Flame
10 - Mama D.
11 - Fool Us Today
12 - Tears (Original Japanese Bonus track)
SHM-CD bonus tracks:
13 - Take Cover (Demo)
14 - I Love You Japan (Demo)
15 - Swingin' Jam

Eric Martin – lead vocals
Paul Gilbert – guitar
Billy Sheehan – bass guitar
Pat Torpey – drums

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